Washboard.



G. B. TOMPKINS.

WASHBOARD. APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 10, 190B.

Patented Oct. 18, 1910.

TINTTED STATES PATENT OFFTCE.

CAROLINE BARD TOMPKINS, OF JERSEY CITY, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-FOURTH T LEON MYLES, OF BAYONNE, NEW JERSEY.

WASHIBOABD;

973,320, Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Q01 18, 1910, Application filed September 10, 1909. Serial No. 517,007. To all whom it may concern: bars 1 and 2. The axes 8 are preferably formed integral with the rollers 7 To give additional strength to the two members, especially when separated from each other, or in a knocked-down condition,

Be it known that I, CAROLINE BARD TOMPKINS, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Jersey City, in the county of Hudson and State of New Jersey, have invented an improvement in I prefer to make use of cross-rods and 11. NVashboards, of which the following is a The side-bars 1 and 2 are provided with a specification. central longitudinal slot extending a de- My invention relates to improvements in wash-boards, and its object is to provide a wash-board that can be readily knocked down for economizing space in the house when not in use, also for economizing space in transportation, and for convenience in carrying by hand from place to place, and it consists principally of two sections or members with means for holding them together to form a whole in an operative position, and also for holding the two members or sections together in a knock-down position by the same means or device by which they are held in an operative position.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 is a front elevation of a wash-board constructed according to my invention and with the two members or sections clamped together in an operative position. Fig. 2 is a section at the line :12, w, of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a side elevation of the same, and Fig. 1 shows the board after it has been knocked down, and the two members or sections placed together in a position for economizing space or for transportation.

1 and 2 are side-bars; these are connected by a top cross-bar 3 and lower cross-bar 1 and form the frame of the waslrboard. The side-bars 1 and 2 are divided transversely and their divided ends are preferably rabbeted as at 5 and 6 so that they will overlap and form a close and smooth joint when brought together to form a whole.

Instead of employing the common ribbed or fluted surface over which clothes are rubbed to cleanse them, I prefer to employ a series of rollers 7 although it will be apparent that my invention is applicable to a wash-board having either rubbing surface. These rollers 7 may be plain wood, or wood covered with india-rubber or non-corrosive substance, or they may be entirely of metal. I prefer plain wooden rollers. These rollers 7 are held in position in the frame by means of axes 8 revolving in bearings 9 in the sidesired distance from their meeting ends so that when the ends of the side-bars 1 and 2 of the respective sections are over-lapped and brought together, there is a continuous slot in the center of each sidebar extending some distance either side of the center of the frame.

I prefer to make the division in the board at the point illustrated in the drawing, so that when the board is knocked down, the two sections can be placed together in the most compact form as shown in Fig. 4.

The two sections of the wash-board are held together in a position for use by suitable means. I have shown and prefer to make use of a thumb-screw 13 and clamping plate 14; at each side of the board upon the respective side-bars. The head of each thumb screw 13 is knurled to assist the grasp, and its base is spread of a width corresponding to the width of the side-bars 1 and 2 upon which it rests in use. The stems 15 are screw-threaded and of a size to pass through the slots 12 in the side-bars 1 and 2 and slide therein, and these stems screw into the clamping-plates 1a which are on the opposite or rear side of the frame.

When the two sections of the wash-board are brought together with the rabbeted ends of the side-bars overlapped, it will be readily understood that when the thumbscrews 13 and clamping plates 14. are aplied and screwed to place, the two sections will be firmly held together, and that the wash-board will be complete and ready for use; and that when the board is no longer required for immediate use, it can be readily knocked down b r turning the knurled heads of the screws 13 to the left thus loosening the clamping devices when the two sections of the board may be separated, after which they may be placed together in the compact form shown in Fig. l and secured in that position by the screws 13 and clamping plates 14. It will thus be seen that the thumb plates 14 are adapt screws 13 and clamping that is, to

ed to perform two functions, hold the two sections of in position for use, and also to hold them together after being knocked down and placed in the position shown in said Fig. at, in which condition they occupy considerable less space in the house or in transportation, and are in a convenient form for carrying by hand from place to place.

At or near the top of the upper section of the wash-board, box or receptacle 16 for soap or other articles, which box is provided with a slid ing cover 17 and may be divided if desired, by a partition 18 shown by dotted lines in Fig. 1. The sliding cover 17 of the box 16 may have a notch 19 at or near its forward end to facilitate the withdrawal of the cover from the grooves 20 in the box in which it slides. I do not however wish to limit myself to this particular construction of receptacle, as it will be readily understood that any desired character of receptacle for soap or like articles my invention.

I claim as my invention;

1. A wash-board divided transversely through the rubbing board and side-bars of the frame, thus forming two sections, and provided with means performing the double function of holding the two sections together may be employed with the board together a I prefer to employ a in an operative position, and for holding said sections together in a compact form for economizing space when the washboard is not in use.

2. A wash-board composed of two sections, the meeting ends of which are rabbeted, and means for securing such sections together.

3. In a wash-board com osed of two sections, the meeting ends of which are rabbeted, the combination of thumb-screws and clamping-plates by which means the two sections are secured together.

4. A wash-board comprising two sections, each having slotted side bars which are divisible and constructed with meeting ends that are similar and fit for the continuity of the side bars, and clamping means operative through the slots in the side bars and b which means the two sections of the board are held together.

5. In a wash-board composed of two sections, the combination of slotted side-bars and clamping means operative through the slots in the side-bars and by means of which the two sections of the board are held together.

Signed by me this 7th day of September 1909.

CAROLINE BARD TOMPKIN S.

\Vitnesses:

GEO. T. PINOKNEY, E. ZACHARIASEN. 

